New but Old Encounter?
by ryhoyarbie
Summary: Takes place in 2374. One of the few starships Starfleet has exploring during the Dominion war and they come across a species discovered by the Voyager crew.


_Star Trek is owned by Paramount_

 _Takes place in the 6_ _th_ _season of DS9 or the year 2374_

 _Captain's log: Stardate 51002.3. Good news comes to us through Starfleet channels. The Romulans have decided to join the fight with the Klingons and Federation against the Dominion. I'm very curious as to why now the Romulans decided to join the fight, but I shouldn't really question the scenario since it gives us more of a fighting chance to defeat the Dominion. However, the Atlantic continues to be one of the handful of ships not in the war that are still charting unknown space at this time. We are still in the Beta Quadrant beyond Federation held space and beyond the borders of Romulans space. I have wondered why my superiors gave us this task instead of fighting with the rest of the fleet in the war. My crew has also expressed too many concerns over the last year. They feel regret and anger they're not part of the fight. I can't say I blame them since we've read numerous death reports of people we know who have perished because of the war. Thank god we have counselors on board to tackle ships moral._

 **Bridge**

The USS Atlantic, NCC 61998 is an Ambassador class ship. Like it's counterparts, the ship can be used for a wide range of tasks such as exploration, scientific research, and combat. The ship was launched in the year 2369.

Two officers were traveling in a turbolift trying to get to the bridge. Captain Marlta and first officer Commander Steven Lee.

Marlta was something of a rare gem. She was an Orion woman. There were only a few who had joined Starfleet in the past two hundred years. She hated everything her people stood for. The Orion women were the head of the Orion Syndicate and did everything the opposite of the Federation. Once her family found out she was going to Starfleet Academy, they disowned her. She hasn't seen her family since she left at the age of 18.

Starfleet medical was able to help Marlta subdued her pheromones by giving her medication she had to subject to her body every few days. Otherwise, the men she would come in contact with wouldn't be able to think straight and fight with each other over her.

She was forty-three years old. She was five feet and six inches tall. She wasn't married nor did she have any kids either. She was a total knockout to everyone onboard the ship and exercised regular. She was also a very fair person but knew when to push people to do their best. She was given command of the Atlantic when the ship was launched five years before.

Right beside her was her first officer, Commander Steven Lee. He was a human and about six foot, average weight, and thirty-four years old. Born in China and of Asian decent, he was engaged to a school teacher who was also on the Atlantic. He also desired to have a child or two in the near future. He was very charismatic and easy going in nature. He and Marlta had a great working relationship with one another.

Marlta looked at her first officer, wondering what was going on with him this morning. "You're quiet today, Steve. Usually you're chatting my ear off with something."

Lee looked at Marlta. She was smiling at him. _God she's really attractive,_ he thought to himself. "Before I went to bed I got word of a few people I went to the Academy with who had died."

Marlta put her hand on Lee's arm. "I'm so sorry." She shook her head. "This war has taken so much out of us, and we're not even apart of it."

Lee nodded. "I know, I just don't know how much longer we can last without joining the fleet. Starfleet's going to have to give us a change in orders, Captain. I just don't like seeing my friends die while I'm out here out of harms way."

The Orion nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way."

The turbolift doors opened. The two walked onto the bridge and eyed the bridge crew.

The chief of security Lieutenant Greka, a Denobulan, was sitting in the captain's chair. He got up and nodded to the two. "Morning Captain, Commander."

Greka was thirty years of age. He was about six foot and two inches tall. Very lean but muscled. He was a dedicated security officer who did his job well. Greka was serious to his job but liked to joke. He could also smooth talk anyone, including the ladies in which he was known as a ladies man. He could probably out do the Ferengi if he needed to in smooth talking. He was someone everyone could depend on, and that's why he was very popular with the crew. He took his place behind the security console behind the captain's chair. Marlta did have day dreams of what she would like to do with him if they were lovers and in a relationship. However, those were nothing more than fantasies since she didn't want to date a member of her crew based on her own opinion.

The bridge was a standard practical one. It had three chairs for command, the captain's, first officer's, and a third for the counselor/doctor/or special guest. The captain's chair was up one set of steps above the first officer's and the third seat.

In front of the captain's chair were two stations, helm on the right of the captain's point of view and operations to the left. In front of the two stations was the view screen. On both sides of the view screen were a set of doors. One set was a turbolift, the one that carried Marlta and Lee. The other side led to the observation lounge for staff meetings. To the sides were a few workstations that were for the sciences personnel and engineering people.

Then there lied the tactical station for the security officer. Behind him were a few more stations. To both sides of those stations were a series of doors. One side was another turbolift and a side door led to the bathrooms for bridge officers. On the other side was the Captain's ready room and a side door that led to a series of jefferies tubes to below deck.

The carpet was a light shade of blue and so were the walls along with the consoles.

Marlta and Lee sat at their seats.

"What's our status Lieutenant?" Lee asked the chief operations officer, Lieutenant junior grade Shelly Verdugo.

Verdugo was a 27 years of age human female and started out as a relief operations officer. When the first chief operations officer got promoted to first officer two years ago, Shelly was promoted to lieutenant junior grade and made chief operations officer. She was five foot three, blond hair, and blue eyes. She had long hair but kept it in a ponytail. She was very attractive and easy on the eyes. However, Shelly was very reserved.

"Still at our present course heading towards the Ventara system," she said as she moved her fingers on the ops console. "It's quiet as a mouse out here, Commander."

Lee smiled. "Quiet as a mouse, eh Shelly."

Verdugo swung her chair back around. "Okay, you come up with a better pun then." She smiled and turned her attention back to her console.

Lee could help but continuing to smile. He looked at a console right by him as he decided to look over some information.

"Anybody have any interesting news they wanted to share?" Marlta asked. She was always wanting people to tell something interesting about what was going on in their lives every so often, especially when things were quiet.

"I bench pressed two-fifty in weights yesterday," Greka said. He was kind of giving a half smile to himself.

 _Damn,_ Marlta thought to herself. _The things I could do with you._ "Great, Greka. Anyone else?"

"I got a message from my older sister a few days ago," a crewmember said. "She found out she was pregnant. I'm going to be an uncle."

Everyone started to applaud and cheer. They all said congratulations to the man.

After a few minutes the noise level quieted down again. Everyone was doing their job without really saying anything else.

Suddenly a beeping noise came from the ops panel.

"Captain, I got something here," Verdugo said from her console.

Marlta's left eyebrow went slightly up. "What do you have, Shells?"

Sometimes people called Shelly 'Shells' for short as a cute nickname. Both men and women have called Shelly by that name. Shelly did not mind as it didn't bother her. She had grown accustomed to it.

Shelly's hands went flying around her console. "It looks like a tear in space, sir."

"Confirmed," Greka was also looking at some information from his tactical console. "The stars on the other side of the tear do not match what our long range probes gave us a week ago when we were trying to map out this region."

Commander Lee looked at the captain. "We might as well send another probe and see where the other side is at."

Marlta nodded. "I like the idea." She padded her first officer on the arm before looking at her chief of security. "Greka, launch a probe in the tear."

"Aye sir," the Denobulan said.

The view screen showed the probe being launched and flying past the tear and to the other side. After a few moments, the probe started to send back information to the Atlantic.

"Readings coming in now," Greka said. "According to the probe, the other side of the tear is still in the Beta Quadrant but four years past where we are currently at."

"Four years?" Lee said.

"Furthermore," Greka continued, "the tear will close in approximately three days from now."

Marlta looked at Steven. "I don't think you or anyone would have any objection if he went inside the hole to look around, do you?"

"We could have a mutiny on our hands," Lee teased the captain. "But don't worry sir, I'll be sure to put those who might do otherwise in the brig if I have to."

Marlta looked at Steven and shook her head. "Great!" Her sarcastic tone was showing. "Helm, set course to go through that tear, one half impulse power."

Ensign Knier, a Human male of twenty-three, complied. This was his first assignment on board a starship since he graduated from the academy. "Course plotted and laid in."

The Atlantic went through the tear in space and ended up four years past where they were previously.

Knier worked his helm console. "According to these readings, we're four years further in the Beta Quadrant, Captain."

Marlta nodded. 'Good. I think we should use this opportunity to look around. Mr. Greka, began long range scans. Let's see what we have over here."

"Aye, captain," the Denobulan answered. He began to move his fingers around his tactical console as he pushed buttons. "Scanning section zero-zero-one-eight."

Lee continued to look on his console while Marlta tapped a few buttons on her chair. Suddenly, Counselor Marcus Norris came walking onto the bridge from one of the turbolifts.

Norris was five foot-ten inches. He was a human, African American, born and raised in a small town in South Carolina. He was thirty-nine years of age and held the rank of lieutenant commander.

"I have no morning meetings at all and decided to see what's going on with you all," Norris said as he sat down in the third chair.

Marlta and Lee looked at him. "We just passed through a rift," the Orion captain said.

"A rift?" The man's left eyebrow was raised. "Did we know about it? Where did it lead us?"

Lee answered. "To answer your questions Marcus, yes we did know about it, and it has led us four years deeper in the Beta Quadrant."

Norris nodded, but the man was still concerned. "Can we get back? I hate for you all to say no and that it will take us four years to get back. I mean the Federation could win the war with the Dominion but encounter it's next war, the war with the Tribbles. I hate to miss that."

Marlta smiled back at her counselor. "The tear in space will be open for several days, Counselor. We can get back in no time."

"Great," the man said. "I for one am glad we made sure we could get back. I know in my past postings such a decision might not have been made."

Marlta looked at her counselor in a baffled manner. "Really? How interesting."

Suddenly a beeping noise came from Greka's console. "I have found something else that will peak the Counselor's interest."

Lee looked back. "What do you have?"

Greka responded. "I have a incoming distress call bearing two light years. Audio only."

Lee nodded. "Let's hear it Mr. Greka."

The distress call came on the speakers. "This is the cargo ship Zulu. We are transporting supplies. We come in peace but are being attacked by a species. To anyone who is in range, we need your help…This is the"…..

"It's repeating in a continuous loop, Captain," Greka informed his captain.

Lee looked at his captain. "So what do you think, boss? Shall we help these people?"

It was already clear to the Orion woman. "We're going in."

"Red Alert!" Lee yelled out. "All hands to battle stations. Helm, set course of the distress signal and engage at warp seven."

Knier worked his console. "Aye sir. Engaging now."

Verdugo's hands were racing up and down the operations console. "We shall be there in ten minutes."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The Atlantic warped through to the distress call passing through stars that by a slower warp would have taken the ship longer to reach it's destination.

Greka looked at his console then back to the captain. "We're at the coordinates of the distress call."

"On screen" Marlta said as she stood up. Lee followed in pace and both were standing by each other in the center of the bridge.

The visual image came into place and a small freighter ship was being fired upon a much larger and more powerful ship. The freighter tried to fire back but the bigger ship was too powerful. The shields of the larger ship were holding.

"My god," Norris got up from his seat and joined Marlta and Lee. "That ship is being beaten to death like a rag."

Marlta already knew the next logical step to take. "Greka, open a channel."

Greka tapped a button. "Channel open, sir."

Martla breathed in a little. "Alien vessel, this is the starship Atlantic. We are here from the freighters captain's distress call. Break off your attack or we will open fire."

The larger ship briefly stopped it's attack. An image displayed on the main viewer.

The alien was armored with a helmet, mask, and body suit. He also had what appeared to be some red war pain on the right side of his face. "Who are you?" The being was very uptight as would most people who are attacking the innocent.

Marlta had stern look on her face. She didn't who this person was, but she wasn't going to take anything from him. "I'm Captain Marlta from the Federation starship Atlantic. Stand down and let those people be."

The being on the other end narrowed his eyes. "The Federation?"

"Yes," Marlta didn't skip a beat. "Stand down."

The being continued talking. "Several months ago we got word that our species encountered a ship that was part of your 'Federation'. They even took control of it for a time and used the crew as their prey."

Marlta looked at Greka and told him to mute the com link. Lee and Norris looked at the Captain. "Another ship that encountered these aliens?" Norris stated to his captain. "What is he talking about?"

"And who is this species anyway?" Lee was curious about what this species was.

Marlta nodded for the security chief to open the com channel back on. "May I ask who you are, what species you are, and how your people encountered the Federation before?"

The man on the other end complied. "I am the Alpha, my species is the Hirogen, and my people encountered a starship called Voyager in the Delta Quadrant. We received word through our sensor communication network before it went offline."

Shelly, at her operations station, began trying to find the information through her station to see if what the man was saying was accurate. After a few mere seconds she had the answer. "Captain, the man is correct. According to our records, the Voyager's EMH made a journey from the Delta Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant and boarded a starship through an alien sensor network. He told Starfleet command everything about what happened with the Voyager."

Norris looked on at Shelly and then back at the Captain. "Interesting information. The question is how can a species that made first contact in the Delta Quadrant be over here in the outer edges of the Beta Quadrant?"

But before anyone could answer the Counselor's question, the ship rocked. Martla, Lee, and Norris lost their balance.

Lee looked back at Greka. "Report!"

"The Hirogen has open fire on us," Greka reported.

"Return fire!" Lee looked at his captain and then back onto the view screen. He knew exactly what Marlta was thinking and that was to fire back. The three went back to sit in their respective seats in the command area.

"Direct hit," Shelly said from her operations console. "Their shields are down to eighty-three percent."

The Atlantic got hit again with a series of torpedoes from the Hirogen vessel. One of the sides of the bridge, sparks flew from one of the consoles and a crewmember flew backwards.

Greka shook his head. "Shields down to fifty-eight percent". He tapped his fingers to a couple of buttons. Another torpedo blasted onto the Atlantic. "Shields down to forty-five percent!"

Martla got up from her seat and moved to Ensign Knier. "Mr. Knier, attack pattern beta-four. Get underneath their belly and then the moment they break way from us, fire."

Knier nodded. "Yes ma'am. Initiating attack pattern beta-four."

The Atlantic moved underneath the Hirogen vessel. The Alpha Hirogen confused, scooted away from the ship so it could have another chance to fire on the Atlantic.

Steven Lee saw an opportunity. "Greka, quantum torpedoes, full spread." He looked back at the chief of security Denobulan.

"Ready commander," Greka reported.

"Fire!"

The Atlantic fired a series of torpedoes onto the Hirogen ship. Several places around the Hirogen ship blew up in flames thanks to the hits from the torpedoes.

Greka nodded from his readings. "The Hirogen ship is disabled."

"Good," Marlta went back to her seat. "Damage report."

Lieutenant Verdugo spoke up from the readouts she was getting. "Minor injuries sustained. Deck eight had a minor hull damage but a damage control team is already on the move to repair it."

Marlta nodded.

"Could have been worse," Lee looked at Marlta and Norris respectively. He was right though. This new alien species the crew had never encountered before could have done some serious damage to the ship and the crew. But once again the tough, roughed Ambassador class ship prevailed.

Marlta thought for a moment, then looked back at her chief of security. "How many Hirogen are on that vessel?"

Greka got the readings. "Two".

A small smile formed around the Orion's lips. "Beam those two over into a holding cell".

Lee looked at his captain. "What are you going to do, interrogate them?"

Marlta shook her head. "Nah, just tell them to stop screwing with people. Tired of people treating each other like trash." Martla signaled for Greka to join her as both got into a turbolift.

Lee, like Marlta, was emotionally damaged and drained from the war with the Dominion. Despite the fact Starfleet can defend itself, most people who became officers and crewmen wanted to explore not fight. They were both tired of more "bad guys" showing their muscle to others. For what the Captain was going to do with the Hirogen Lee did not have a clue.

 **Brig**

Martla, Greka, and several security officers arrived in the brig to see the two Hirogen in one of the holding cells.

"Why did you bring us here?" The Alpha said.

"Release us at once or else!" The Beta exclaimed, trying to make a threat to them.

"Screw you," Martla fought back. "You were firing upon some innocent people, we stopped you, and now you're making threats?" She shook her head. "Just how dumb are you anyway?"

The two Hirogen didn't answer right away.

The captain continued noticing the two warriors weren't going to say or do anything. "In any case, I suggest the two of you high-tale yourselves out of this area and fast. Otherwise we'll be coming after you for a hunt. Would you like that?"

"No," the Alpha responded.

"Good, then leave these people alone and go about your business," Martla finished her speech. Before she signaled one of the security technicians who was waiting by a station to beam them back to their ship, she added something else. "And if you ever see one of our vessels ever again, you better come at us on friendly terms. Otherwise we'll fight back, and you'll have a losing battle on your hands."

Martla nodded for the two to beam back to their ship.

Greka eyed the captain. "Nice work, sir. Remind me to never play poker with you."

Martla eyed her chief of security with a smirk. "And why is that?"

"Because if someone else wins, they're still going to lose."

Marlta padded the Denobulan on the shoulder, and the all walked out of the brig.

 **Bridge**

"We're being hailed," Greka said. "From the freighter that was being attacked.

Greka and Martla had been back on the bridge for almost a minute before the ship wanted to speak.

"On screen," Lee said as he nodded at Marlta. "Once we get done with this, you're going to have to tell me what happened with the two Hirogen down in the brig."

"Just gave them the standard Starfleet greeting," the captain smiled.

Steven didn't know what the standard greeting was, but wanted to find out eventually.

On screen was a male alien who looked like he was about fifty years of age from a human guess. He had some ridges around his nose and forehead.

"I am Captain Janga. Thank you for coming to our rescue."

Marlta smiled. "It's no problem Captain. My name is Captain Marlta from the United Federation of Planets. We were in the area and noticed you needed some assistance."

Janga smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Shelly Verdugo scanned the readings from her console. "Captain Janga, I'm reading that your are barely working."

Janga nodded. "Yes, those blasted, whoever they were, knocked out our shields. We're only a cargo ship, and we don't have the best shields."

Steven Lee offered a helpful suggestion. "We can get some of our engineers to help repair your shields. Shouldn't take long."

"Oh thank you," Janga said. "This means a lot to us. We have a shipment that has to arrive tomorrow, and we are pressed for time."

The image of Janga disappeared.

 **Sometime Later**

Janga was walking with Marlta through one of the corridors of the Atlantic.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles captain, " Janga was giving a sympathetic ear to his host. "The Dominion seem very awful indeed."

Marlta nodded. "Yes, straight out of the Gamma Quadrant and wanting to control everything." She shook her head. "That's why I hate bullies."

They turned to another corridor and continued walking.

"The Hirogen that attacked my ship, you said you've met their species before?" Janga continued to walk. He was curious as to how Marlta would know of the would be attacker.

"Not quite. We have a long lost starship named Voyager that was transported to the Delta Quadrant. They sent their holographic doctor through the Hirogen sensor network from the Delta Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant where the doctor spoke directly to Starfleet and told what had happened to them."

She continued to walk and finally they got to a transporter room. "So the crew of the Voyager had encountered the Hirogen before but the rest of us had not until now."

Janga got onto the transporter pad. "So why were the Hirogen here in the Beta Quadrant?"

Marlta shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows. They might be a race of scavengers spread out long distances."

Janga nodded. "I do thank you for letting your crew repair my ship. It means a lot to me."

"Think nothing of it," Marlta said.

"Best of luck with your fight against these Dominion, Janga said. "They don't sound that pleasant to me."

"If we ever encounter you or your species again, it won't be for another four years," Marlta responded.

Janga nodded. "Because you only got here because of the spatial rift. I understand. Safe journey."

The Orion smiled and then nodded for the transporter chief to beam Janga to his ship. As soon as he dematerialized she went back on the bridge.

 **Bridge**

Lee was sitting in the command chair. Norris had left the bridge. Greka and Shelly were at their respective stations.

Marlta came walking on to the bridge from one of the turbolifts.

"Well that went smoothly," she said as she saw her first officer let her sit in her seat.

"It was good to actually do a nice first contact for a change," Lee said as he sat in his chair and sighed. "The Hirogen. Another enemy we'll have to watch out for."

Shelly looked back at Lee. "But not for another four years if they're still around."

"Plus we still have to get through the war with the Dominion and the Cardassians," Greka mentioned.

"Quite true," Marlta didn't want to think about the war and all of those people who had lost their lives. "But perhaps one of these days we'll be victorious as we were today."

Lee nodded then turned his attention to the helm. "Ensign Knier, set course back for the spatial rift, warp four."

The crew knew it was time to get back to where they were previously before. Otherwise, hey would have to endure a four year trip back to Federation territory because the spatial rift closing on them.

Knier worked his console. "Course laid in sir."

"Engage," Marlta said as she sat back in her captain's chair.


End file.
